


Cider and Mince Pies

by SugdenLovesDingle



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Teen AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 03:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17154134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: as far as Christmas traditions go, Robert and Aaron make their own





	Cider and Mince Pies

**Author's Note:**

> written for the [robron secret santa](http://robronsecretsanta.tumblr.com/) on tumblr

“I hate everything.” Robert dramatically flopped down face forward on Aaron’s bed. Not bothering to say hello or even look at Aaron.

Aaron chuckled and ran his hand through Robert’s hair.

“Everything? You’re going to have to be a bit more specific there, mate.”

Robert groaned and rolled over.

“Me. Myself. My life. My brother. My dad. I could go on.”

“Why? Did you…”

“No. Because I’m a coward.”

“You’re not a coward.”

“Yes I am. I wanted to tell them… but I bottled it.”

“So? It’s not like there is a time limit. You can do it whenever it feels right.”

“What if that’s never?”

Aaron shrugged.

“Then it’s never.”

Robert pulled on Aaron’s shirt to make him lean in so he could kiss him.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Shut up.” Aaron said, pressing another kiss to his lips and getting them both as comfortable as possible on his single bed. “Tell me what happened.”

Robert sighed.

“Nothing really. My dad was reading the paper and Andy was making himself a sandwich… and my dad saw something in the paper about this show my mum used to watch.”

“Yeah?” Aaron prompted after a few minutes of silence, not wanting to let his boyfriend get lost in his own head again.

“One of the actors came out. He’s gay and in a relationship with another man. And apparently the show are bringing in a male love interest for him. Dad read the whole article out loud.”

“That’s a good way to start the conversation isn’t it?”

Robert nodded.

“Yeah. I thought so too… until they started slagging the guy and the show off. My dad and Andy both. Andy even added the limp wrist mannerism.” He groaned and buried his face in Aaron’s chest. “Let’s just stay here forever.”

“Tempting.” Aaron admitted. “But I think people would get suspicious you know. The two of us in my bedroom.”

“I don’t care. I’m sick of hiding and sneaking around.”

“Yeah. Me too. That’s why I told my mum. About me. Not us.”

Robert lifted his head to look at Aaron.

“Really? What did she say?”

“Not much really. Just… oh right.”

“Oh right? Well… I suppose that’s as good as it gets with your mum.” Robert said, knowing his boyfriend’s relationship with his mother wasn’t the greatest, though it was improving somewhat.

“Yeah suppose so. She did ask if I was seeing someone. I didn’t say anything, don’t worry, but I think she might suspect something.”

Robert nodded.

“My mum knew too. I told her… before she died. But she already knew.”

“Yeah? What did she say?”

“She thanked me for telling her and she gave me a hug.” Robert said, a soft smile on his face. “She asked me if there was someone special in my life and when I said yes she asked if it was you.”

“I wish I could have been there.”

“Me too. She loved you as my mate, she would’ve loved you as my boyfriend.”

“Maybe your dad and Andy will feel the same?” Aaron pushed. It had taken them both long enough to figure out how they felt about themselves, and each other, that they really wanted to shout it from the rooftops now.

But actually doing so was a very different, slightly terrifying story.

Robert sat up and bit the inside of his cheek.

“I don’t know. You didn’t hear them earlier… What if he freaks? What if he kicks me out? Where am I supposed to go?”

“You can stay here.” Aaron decided. “It’s not like we haven’t shared this bed before.” He added with a grin in an attempt to lift his boyfriend’s mood.

“I bet your family would love that.” Robert said sarcastically. “Having the Sugden kid interrupt their Christmas celebrations.”

“They wont mind.”

“And what would I tell my dad? Hey dad, I’m spending Christmas with my boyfriend’s family, the Dingles. Oh yeah I’m dating Aaron by the way.”

“Well… it would just get everything out of the way at once.”

“Yeah and prove to my dad he was right about me all along.”

“He’s not.” Aaron insisted. “But we could always just sack off the whole family thing and just get out of here and spend Christmas together. Just you and me.”

Robert gave him a confused look.

“Leave the village? Where would we even go?”

“I don’t know.” Aaron shrugged. “We could just get in your car and drive and see where we end up.”

“You’re tapped.”

“Do you have a better idea? Do you want to pitch a tent out by the cricket pavilion?”

Robert seemed to consider the suggestion for a moment.

“I wasn’t serious about that, Robert. I’m not sleeping in a tent with you in December. It’s way too cold.”

“I can think of a few things we could do to keep warm.” Robert grinned, moving his hands under Aaron’s shirt and pushing him back on the bed and crawling on top of him.

“You’re terrible. Get off.” Aaron laughed but made no move to get out from under Robert.

“You love it.”

A knock on the door interrupted their fun and Robert all but jumped up from the bed, much to Aaron’s disappointment.

“Tea’s almost ready so get yourself downstairs.” Chas said as she walked into Aaron’s bedroom, not bothering to wait for a ‘come in’. “Hello, Robert.” she added when she noticed the other boy.

“Hi…”

“Mum, is it ok for Rob to join us for Christmas?”

Chas frowned.

“Don’t you have to spend it with your own family?” She asked Robert who just shrugged.

“It’s the first one without his mum, things aren’t that festive over there.” Aaron explained.

“My dad is only focused on the farm really. Same with Andy. Vic is the only one trying to make something out of it all.” Robert added.

“Shouldn’t you be home then? If she’s making an effort for your family.” Chas asked and Aaron glared at her. He knew she wasn’t Robert’s biggest fan but he’d hoped she would be willing to look past that for the holidays.

“Yeah I suppose so. I have to go.” Robert said and pushed past her and left, throwing an “I’ll text you.” over his shoulder as he walked down the stairs.

“Couldn’t you be nice to him for a change?” Aaron asked when he heard the pub’s backdoor close.

“He’s got his own family, Aaron. This place is going to be busy enough with people that don’t really get on, no need to add another.”

Aaron rolled his eyes.

“He’s just lost his mum, he’s having a tough time.”

“Yeah well, we all are.” Chas replied. “Why do you care so much? Is he your boyfriend or something?”

Aaron crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at his mother.

“What if he is?”

\---

A few days later it was Christmas day and Robert was lonely. He’d kept his distance and hadn’t been to the pub ever since Chas had nearly caught him and Aaron and he missed his boyfriend terribly. They’d been texting but that wasn’t the same as actually seeing each other face to face. Life on the farm hadn’t been very happy either and he was sure the gifts they’d exchanged over breakfast that morning had been his mum’s work.

“Rob?” There was a knock on his bedroom door. “Are you in there?”

He got up from his bed and opened his door and saw his sister standing there looking worried.

“Are you alright?”

“Course. Just tired.” Robert lied.

“I miss her too you know.” Vic said after a minute, clearly seeing right through her brother’s excuse. “I have her cookbook. I thought we could make Christmas dinner from her recipes.”

“We?”

“I could use a hand and a chat. Dad and Andy are out repairing the fence near the road. They’ll be busy for a while.”

Robert smiled and pulled his sister in for a hug. Of course she’d noticed he’d been avoiding Jack and Andy.

“When did you get so smart eh?”

“Always have been. You just never noticed.”

It turned out Vic had already chosen the recipe and done the shopping for their Christmas meal while the rest of them had been too busy with their own problems to notice.

“It’s not exactly the traditional Christmas dinner… but as long as we all like it, that’s what counts right?”

They got talking and when Vic mentioned she had a date with a lad called Adam in a few days Robert felt his heart race. Maybe he could tell her about himself, about Aaron.

“What about you? Are you going to ask Katie out again? Andy is into Debbie Dingle now.”

“I know. But Katie and me… that’s ancient history. Never going to happen again.”

“You sure? I know you really liked her.”

“I did… but… I’ve met someone. I’m sort of dating them…”

“Really? Who? Anyone I know? Is it that Rebecca girl that moved here a while ago? I heard she likes you. She’s pretty.”

“Who?”

“Rebecca. I think her last name is White. She should be in your year.” Vic explained. “Blonde. Rich. Party girl if the rumours are anything to go by.”

“Don’t know her.” Robert shrugged. “But the person I’m seeing… it’s not a she. It’s a he. I uh… I have a boyfriend.” He said, biting his lip to stop himself from smiling.

“You’re gay?”

“No… I uh… I like both. Girls and boys. I’m bi.”

“Oh… ok.” Vic replied and took a moment to process the information. “Am I the first person you told?”

“Mum knew.”

“Yeah? What did she say?”

“Nothing really. Just thanked me for telling her.”

Vic put the knife she was holding down and wrapped her arms around her big brother.

“Thank you for telling me, Rob. Now give me all the gossip. Who is your boyfriend? Do I know him?”

“It’s Aaron.” Robert said quietly.

“Aaron? Your mate Aaron?” Vic asked and Robert nodded.

“We’ve been together for a few months… but nobody knows yet.”

“They won’t hear anything from me.” Vic promised. “Are you happy?”

“Yeah. Yeah I am. He’s… he’s the perfect guy. Only his mum doesn’t like me. And dad would have a fit if he knew.”

“He might not. He might surprise you.”

Robert shook his head.

“We’re getting a flat in Leeds together as soon as we finish school. We’re saving up and I’m trying to find something that pays better than part time at the garage.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“You can come visit.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Together they finished preparing dinner and set the table. It all looked just like the previous year, even if there was one important person missing.

They’d just sat down for dinner when Robert’s phone beeped with a message.

“Robert put your phone away, we’re having dinner.” Jack warned him and Robert did as he was told to keep the peace.

Only whoever was texting him didn’t stop at one message and his phone kept beeping.

“Who is texting you on Christmas day?”

Robert checked his phone and smiled when he saw Aaron’s name.

From Aaron  
18:57 Happy x-mas.

From Aaron  
18:57 Ready to unwrap your present?

From Aaron  
18:58 Meet me outside in 10 minutes.

From Aaron  
18:59 Bring a coat. It’s cold out.

From Aaron  
19:06 I’m outside.

“Who is it?” Andy asked

“It’s uhm… it’s Aaron. He’s outside.”

“Why is he here and not with his own family? Surely all of the Dingles are in the pub tonight.” Jack noted.

“He just wants to wish me a happy Christmas. I’ll just go see him for a minute and say hi.”

“You two are always together. It’s like you’re married to the guy.” Andy joked.

Robert smiled and shared a look with Vic before getting up from the table.

“Not just yet but maybe one day.”

He grabbed his coat and left the house, feeling a strange sort of freedom as he heard the door slam shut behind him.

Aaron was waiting for him, dressed to the nines, and carrying his schoolbag. Robert walked right up to him and kissed him instead of saying hello.

“Merry Christmas to you too.” Aaron said when they broke the kiss.

“Merry Christmas.” Robert replied, head spinning from the high of finally being honest with himself and his family. “What’s with the bag?”

“It’s Christmas isn’t it?”

“So?”

“So we need presents and food.”

“We? But what about your family?”

“What about them? I’d rather spend Christmas with someone special instead of my uncle Zak getting drunk and explaining the meaning of life to anyone that will listen.”   

“Out here?”

“I don’t know. It’s a bit cold out here. I reckon we could find some place warmer.” Aaron said and grabbed Robert’s hand, linking their fingers together. “Come with me.”

They walked to the cricket pavilion outside the village.

“I thought you were joking about pitching a tent out here.”

“I was, but I got a better idea.” Aaron said and lead Robert inside.

He’d somehow managed to make the place look cosy and welcoming with a string of lights, a few candles, a table cloth thrown over some beer crates to make a table and two more beer crates as chairs.

“When did you do all this? How?”

“Well my boyfriend was busy the past few days… so I figured I better make myself useful. And you’ve seen the state of the pub, they won’t miss a few decorations.”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to avoid you…”

“It’s ok. I get it. I told my mum about us after you left the other day. She promised me she’d try be nicer to you from now on.”

“Really? It’s a Christmas miracle.” Robert joked. “I uh… have some news too. I told Vic. About us.”

“You did? What did she say?”

“She’s happy I’m happy.”

Aaron smiled and kissed him.

“I’m proud of you.”

“I uh… kind of told my dad and Andy too.” Robert said and told Aaron what had happened right before he’d come outside.

“That’s… amazing.” Aaron said laughingly.

“Yeah… I’m kind of terrified to go back home now though.”

“Well lucky for you, you won’t have to just yet.” Aaron said and opened his bag. “It’s not much… but it’s the thought that counts, eh?”

He pulled out two cans of cider, some mince pies and two Tupperware containers with what looked like Christmas dinner leftovers.

“How did you pull this off?”

“Marlon made enough mince pies to feed a small army, he won’t miss these. And I just asked Lisa if I could get my dinner to go because I had to go see someone special… and she gave me this.”

“Aaron Dingle, you secret romantic.” Robert teased.

“I just wanted to do something nice for you… since you’ve had a rough time lately.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, you haven’t tasted the food yet.” Aaron joked.

“I don’t mean the food. Not just the food. I mean everything. This place, the decorations. Everything. You just make things better… just by being there, being you.” Robert said and kissed Aaron who gave him an almost shy smile.

“Well…” he started, focusing on the zipper on Robert’s coat “That’s what you do for the people you love, don’t you?” he looked up at Robert whose expression was a mixture between confusion and shock.

“You… love… me?”

 Aaron nodded.

“This is the point where you say you love me too. That’s kind of how it works.” He said when Robert just continued to stare at him. “Unless I read this all wrong and you don’t feel the same. Forget I said anything. Let’s just eat.” He stepped out of Robert’s embrace and wanted to sit down on one of the crates when Robert pulled him back towards him.

“No. I mean. I do. I do feel the same. I do. I love you too.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. I do.” Robert said and pressed a small kiss to his lips. “I love you. Merry Christmas.”

\---

**3 years later**

“I know Vic. But things are just busy right now. We’ll come over in the new year.”

“You haven’t been home since the summer! You keep saying you’re busy.”

“We are!”

“You promised you’d come home for Christmas.”

“We just wanted to spend Christmas together.”

“You’re always together.”

“Yeah but this year is the first year in our flat. It took us so long to save up for it and then to do it up so we could actually live in it… we want to enjoy it now.”

“Fine.” Vic relented. “But if you’re not here on January first I’m coming to get you.”

Robert laughed.

“We’ll be there, I promise. I’ll even call you at midnight.”

“You better.” Vic warned him. “Tell Aaron I said hi. And wish him a merry Christmas from me.”

“Will do.” Robert promised and ended the call after saying goodbye to his sister.

“Everything alright with Vic?” Aaron asked.

“Yeah, fine. She’s not impressed we’re not home for Christmas though… but she says hi and merry Christmas… so I think we’re forgiven as long as we show up for her new year’s party.”

Aaron chuckled and sat down next to Robert on the sofa.

“Good. So now we’re free to enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner in our very own flat.” He said and handed Robert a can of cider and a plate with a few mince pies. “Merry Christmas.”

Robert clinked his can against Aaron’s and leaned in for a kiss.

“Merry Christmas."


End file.
